Kununurra: Health department to host ‘informal’ fluoride meeting

The Department of Health is hosting an “informal session” tomorrow about increasing the level of fluoride of the drinking water in Kununurra.

Currently the natural fluoride level in the town’s water supply is about 0.4 milligrams per litre.

The department wants to increase it to 0.6 milligrams per litre which is the what has happened in Broome, Derby and several Pilbara towns.

Halls Creek’s ground water already sits at about 0.6 milligrams per litre without government intervention.

The session will run from 5pm to 7pm at the Kununurra Leisure Centre with public health experts from the department on hand to answer questions from residents.

A statement from the department said community water fluoridation was an important and cost-effective public health measure to reduce dental decay.

“The benefits and safety of fluoridation of public drinking water supplies are supported by overwhelming scientific evidence,” it said.

Water fluoridation opponent Danny Carter, who has campaigned against making adjustments to the water supply and put together a petition tabled in State Parliament with hundreds of signature last year, said the department’s conduct in trying to adjust the levels had been unacceptable.

“Take its deceitful approach to community consultation. Back in 2010 the statutory committee responsible for recommending fluoridation of water supplies officially reported that it had conducted a “community consultation” in Kununurra,” he said.

Mr Carter said a committee spokesman had told him the consultation had been advertised in the Echo but his search of the paper’s archives couldn’t find it.

“There was no such public notice. Only then did WA Health apologise,” he said.